


Long Live The King!

by CrystalHopeDragon



Series: Days with Danny [13]
Category: Danny Phantom, Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: All hail the king!, Post Phantom Planet but no reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-03-14 23:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13601019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalHopeDragon/pseuds/CrystalHopeDragon
Summary: It’s time the Ghost Zone got a new king, and it’s long overdue.Guess who?





	1. Long Rule the King!

“Can you repeat that, just one more time?” Danny asked as he rubbed inside his ears, making sure there wasn’t a blockage. 

“You, as one of the protectors who resealed the last king, and the strongest ghost of the current era, have been selected as the new king.” Boomed the head councilman uncomfortably as Clockwork grinned smugly to the side. The other observants held their formation but looked none too pleased by this development, not that Danny couldn’t guess a few reasons why.

“I’m not a full ghost.” He intoned slowly, as if they were small children in need of clarification. 

“You will be someday.” Clockwork mentioned smugly. “It’s all a matter of time.” 

“I don’t live in the ghost zone.” He said with a hand wave.

“You could still set up a lair to work from, you don’t have to live there.” Clockwork shot back with again.

“Most ghosts hate me, why would they follow me?!”

“Ah, most, but not all. And all of them respect you, which is far more important to most ghosts then any form of affection.” Clockwork shot back smugly, again!

Danny had a feeling he had won an argument on this before this particular one.

“How did he talk you into this anyway?” Danny asked as he looked back at the observants. 

“He can be...persuasive when determined. Plus, there is a stipulation. In order to obtain this title you must take it from the prior owner, physically. The crown AND the ring are required for ruling, and his defeat for the throne itself.” The leader replied proudly.

Danny just raised an eyebrow. “And if I refuse?”

“They call Vlad.” Clockwork responded with a barely concealed grin. “He did also help seal the king.”

Danny snorted. “He’d die. Not to brag but I’ve grown a lot and I’m still not sure if I can take on that brute, and I passed Vlad a while ago. Artifacts or no, do you honestly think anyone else would survive that challenge?”

“No.” Clockwork responded, the grave contrast to his prior whimsical answers sobering up Danny’s humor for a moment. “We proposed it to you for a reason. The ghost zone is in utter chaos and has been since he descended into madness. Without a new king the sanity of its inhabitants and the coherence of its world will only get worse. It never made too much sense to start with but it’s become unbearable recently. Surely you’ve noticed even the map has trouble keeping up with the shifts now?”

He had. Portals open at random. Lair entrances close sometimes sealing free roaming inhabitants in, keeping their own ghosts from their obsession. And most confusing is the constant leak of ectoplasm into the living world. It admittedly did make it easier for the more peaceful ghosts to live there corporally, but it was also an environmental pollutant. It was pure energy, it transformed anything it touched. If they couldn’t track where it was coming from they couldn’t contain it. It’d keep mutating the human world.

Danny signed,

“So what do I do? Just go up there, set him free like last time and kick his rear? Take the crown for myself first so I have a more balanced fight against his ring?”

“Basically.” Clockwork said with a shrug before reaching into his cloak and tossing Danny the key to the tomb, something that in all honesty shouldn’t be treated so lightly. 

Danny’s sigh this time was louder as he caught it before he turned to leave. He paused first, looking back hopefully. “Wait, why all this now? Is it because you think I’m strong enough now to defeat him and handle the crown?” 

“No, we are guessing on that. But you are sixteen now, yes? Is that not legal age to lead in your kingdom?” Asked the council leader. Danny just groaned.

“Close enough.” He responded before flying off. For watchers of time, they sure couldn’t keep track of it.

———

Danny stood in His keep, staring at His tomb, with His crown on a pedestal at his side. Like King Arthur and Excalibur, only a chosen one can take it. Danny grimaced as he reached for it. Pariah Dark had said power corrupted, and only he had been strong enough to wield the crown and ring. 

Danny knew a lot about power, even more so now then he did then. The suit from back then was child’s play, he was stronger than it by far on his own, as he’d proven during sparing matches with Jazz. Still, the idea of power so overwhelming that it warped the mind was uncomfortable, to say the least. His obsession may be protection but any goal can be warped, as they’d all seen many times in the past and surely would in the future. Did he really think he could handle this? Was he ready?

He looked at the crown again and his expression set into a hard line as he finally picked it up. Like many times in the past, he’d have to be. He didn’t have time to whine about lost childhoods and expectations when lives and livelihoods where on the line. Besides, what’s ONE more thing on his busy plate? It’s just ruling a deminsion, no big deal, no stress at all. None he’d acknowledge anyway. 

So he put it on.

It was...a rush, he’d say. Not overwhelming though, not warping. Just a rush of energy through him, adding to what he had. Had Pariah been speaking metaphorically when he said power corrupted, a decision based lesson? The more power the more one abuses it? It hadn’t sounded like it. It sounded more like if you got overwhelmed it’d control you. Danny shrugged, deciding to think on it later. 

The crown over his head had warped to suit his form, no longer floating but seated comfortably on his skull, with blue energy instead of green flowing from the top. It was a solid, clear crystal that he suspected might be of the same material as his never melt ice crystals. As he approached the tomb, key in hand, he noticed a small blue cape of ice start around his neck and go back, as if to match the crown. “Huh, neat.”

Finally he reached the lock, and with a final inhale he inserted the key, turned, and jumped back. Sure enough within moments the sarcophagus had sprung open and the prior king of ghosts was out, standing proud in all his glory. Danny was surprised. He’d seemed...bigger last time, more overwhelming.

The king seemed surprised himself. “So we meet again, young one.” He eyed Danny quietly for a moment, thumb playing with his ring. “Never before have I seen another wear that crown, not since my predecessor. How easily you make it look. I wonder if that will hold up when you apply it in combat.” 

And when he moved to strike, Danny could see it. That doesn’t sound like much, but it was. He couldn’t remember ever having seen the ghost kings moves when he went to strike, he just vanished one moment from one place and was there the next. The king had been stagnant, no power lost, but Danny honestly hadn’t realized how much stronger he’d truly gotten until that moment. Until he dodged the prior ghost king’s blow. 

Mind you, it wasn’t easy. He was still the strongest, fastest opponent Danny had ever faced, and when he did land a hit even though it didn’t knock him out it hurt far worse than anything he’d felt in ages, since back with Vlad before the meteor incident. He knew better then to let his guard down, but with each dodge and punch and each blow he survived he gained confidence. Confidence in his ability and his stability. This was what corrupted the last king, this power. His experience, or maybe his humanity, was preventing that. Maybe he could win this. 

So after a solid minute of just analyzing and dodging, he hit back. He hit him in the front, causing him to block with a shield, and using that moment of distraction and surprise he got behind him. When Pariah went to drop the shield and turn Danny was ready, icing him in, his crystals enhanced by the crown. The king stood proudly even as they engulfed him. “I shall not kneel to a new king.”

“Then don’t.” Danny said with a shrug. “I won’t take your pride.” He said as he walked forward, dodging ectoblasts on the way as his ice slowly engulfed his enemy from the bottom up. When he got there he grabbed both hands tightly and angled them away, ripping the ring off in one smooth motion and stepping back. “Your new home will be this ice. I’m betting you’re sick and tired of sleeping, right? So I thought of something new on the way here. I’ll encase you in it, as long as I’ve got this crown it seems pretty unbreakable, even more than before. This way you can see the world around you change even if you can’t affect it. I’ll put you somewhere busy, it’ll be nice. Better than another four hundred years of sleep I’m betting.” Danny wouldn’t swear on it, but he thought he heard a thank you before Pariah Dark’s head got engulfed in ice. 

He turned around to see the observant and a beaming Clockwork behind him. Many of his allies had just teleported in with some method or another, from Wulf to Danielle. Stepping forward clockwork lifted his right hand, putting the ring Danny held on it before raising it high. “Long rule the king!” 

“Long rule the king!” Was chorused back amongst cheers and hollers. He heard laughing and cheering from Danielle, and looked over to see Wulf and some of Frostbite’s men crying. Frostbite himself was grinning unashamedly. 

Danny just smirked under his breath before shouted. “What? Can’t I get a long live the king? I’m not dead yet, guys!”

They laughed but complied, chorusing it back. Their laughter was invigorating, and he honestly needed it. The crown had just been a power boost, the ring...was something else. He couldn’t hear thoughts or anything, but he could FEEL everything. Every ounce of energy in the realm, all the leaks and cracks, even where portals were coming. He could get there instantly, he knew. His teleportation from before was nothing like what he could do now. He could multiply and actually be everywhere at once if he wanted to, controlling the realm with an iron thumb. No human or ghost would ever get hurt again, he could stop it all.

...

But he didn’t want to. It wasn’t right. What kind of fix was it if no ghost was happy with it, had no say at all? What was he protecting then? Their laughter was more than invigorating, it was clarifying; it reminded him they were people. And people deserved a say in their lives. None of them had ever felt unredeemable. All were obsessive, of course, but not fully evil. Not even Pariah. The more dangerous and cruel ones would be punished when they committed a crime of course, and he was about to lay down a few laws of his own, but they were still people, and they deserved rights as well to go with those laws. And he’d work on that. But first...

He took and deep breath, and began. He felt for the energy flows, and stopped them. He felt for ectoplasmic energy from outside the realm and pulled it ALL back in, every ounce of it, and every last one of them. He sealed up the entrances for now, and organized the lair gates back to a cohesive, accessible manner for their owners. Then he spoke, and he made sure his voice could be heard throughout the realm.

“Listen up, folks! New king on the throne! I’m not so great at this yet so nothing’s set in stone, but I’m going to lay some ground rules. First things first, all ghosts will put it on Walker’s books when they go to the human realm from now on. You live there? Fine! That’s great! But we need to know that so we can keep the mayhem down a bit, okay? Rule number two, the haunting thing is done! It’s not a job, it’s a nuisance. You live in a place peacefully like the Dairy King, that’s fine! But no scaring new tenants away! If you want to interact with humans, make some friends or get a job! I know for a fact some of you have one, it’s not impossible! Rule three, unless you can make them yourself, I’m making set ghost portals from now on. No more random ones throughout time and space. You want out? Fine. Ask. We aren’t having time travel trouble or random scares anymore. If you want a permanent portal, you can ask for that too. And forth, I’m taking this damn ring off after I put the portals up. This thing is overwhelming, and I am NOT turning out like Pariah.” Pariah was right, this power could be overwhelming, but unlike him Danny didn’t feel obligated to use it constantly. “It goes back on when needed, so no, I can’t hear a cry for help from the other side of the human realm. Make a phone call, okay? Now, any questions?”

There were a lot, Danny could hear them all in surround sound, unfortunately. Still, he knew what he was in for. So he straightened his back, marched forward, and went to face a LONG day.


	2. Returning to Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The worst preparation over, Danny goes home for some well earned rest, and everyone around him adjusts to the changes.

Thump! That was the sound of the new ghost king hitting his bed soundly.

Danny was exhausted. He’d barely gotten in the window of his room before collapsing on the bed and passing out. It had been a solid week of nonstop planning, organizing, and building. New ghosts who’d just come home now that order was back in place and needed lairs, ghosts who needed permission to go back to Earth, Walker’s new rulebook, a variety of permanent portals that needed established... it was all pretty overwhelming. He’d barely had time to send Sam a text to tell Mr. Lancer and his family he’d be gone for a week. 

Thank Someone for Danielle, who’d stuck around to help him sort out the ghosts heading back to Earth. She’d made so many friends in her travels she had a pretty good idea of who was trustworthy, and helped with ensuring they got home safe. She’d also helped him pick good, safe spots for portals. Also, thank goodness for duplication abilities, as that did help speed up the processing, even if it drained him even more mentally. Keeping the ring on for that long during constant work was overwhelming. 

He’d been so busy somehow that he hadn’t even made a lair yet, and would do so...after sleep. 

...

After 12 hours of sleep and his profound appreciation that he’d returned on a Saturday, he finally processed all that had happened. 

So, he was king. And the crown was permanently attached to his head, at least while working. He looked in his mirror to notice that when he turned human, the crown had shrunk down to a small blue circlet on his hair. It was far less obtrusive than his full crown, but still strange enough that had it been a year earlier he would have been beaten relentlessly for it. Good thing it wasn’t a year earlier, as saving someone’s life tended to put you on good terms with them. As such, he could rely on Dash’s protection if need be. 

...that was still a weird thought. 

Second, he should probably go greet his family, as he hadn’t been home in a while. So sucking up his old paranoia’s he put on some clean clothes and headed downstairs. He wasn’t exactly clean after a week but he could shower later. He came in to see his dad cooking (thank goodness) while his mother worked on a project at the table. Upon noticing him she promptly engulfed him in a hug. 

“Danny, you’re home! Are you okay? What were you doing? It must have been a big emergency to keep you away so long, we were worried sick! How - wait, what’s that?” She finished with, finally glancing at the crown her head was resting on. She was two inches shorter then him now, but somehow still got his head beneath hers when hugging, no matter how she had to bend him to accomplish that.

“My crown.” He said with an awkward smile. “I may have gotten a SLIGHT promotion, that’s what had kept me busy. I’m going to have to go back to keep things organized, but for now I’m taking a few days off to rest and, uh, process.” He avoided fiddling with the ring -around his neck on a chain at the moment- as he stepped back and waited for a response.

“Promotion? What kind of promotion? The ghost world has a limited hierarchy from what you’ve told me. A council of observants, a lord of time, a terrible police force, and the...king.” She finished slowly as she glanced at his crown, realization dawning. His dad had turned the stove off at this development, letting the pancakes set so he could stand with them for the news (him ignoring food was strange on its own). “You’re the new king.” 

“Tada!” He said with an awkward grin and jazz hands to match. His parents have known he was a half ghost for less than a semester, so he wasn’t sure how they’d process this. 

Maddie was still processing the implications after his reveal but Jack just shrugged and swept him up into a crushing (even now, dang it, was he made of bricks?!) bear hug. “That’s my boy! They grow up so fast! One in college, the other ruling a realm?! No prouder dad could exist.”

“It is quite amazing.” Maddie finally responded with a soft smile. “I’m glad for you, just confused. And worried. Isn’t this a lot of work? Even once you graduate school early next year... you surly won’t be able to hold a job around all that. Steady 9-5 hours around ghost attacks and running a dimension...it’s not possible. You... aren’t ever going to get to live a full human life, are you?” 

Jack let him down and looked at him during this, confusion showing. 

Danny just sighed, knowing this was coming. “I could, if I wanted to. I could go into journalism or photography or writing, career choices that don’t require steady hours. Honestly though? I don’t think I want to. I...kind of like this. It’s a lot of work, don’t get me wrong, and I’m a bit sad I’ll never really get to be an astronaut but...a superhero? The nice king? I always wanted to help people, and what better way to do so then by bringing the most unstable realm to a form of peace? The ghost attacks will come to a near halt now, even more so then they already had with the allies I was making. I’ve done immigration control and improved the police force already. And I do get to go into space! I don’t have to breath as a ghost, so when I want to go somewhere new, I just do. And I won’t say it’s easy or I’m lacking regrets but...it’s worth it, you know?” 

He looked into their faces to see the surprise of his crying mother, who promptly attacked him with her own bear hug of doom. (The power of love can be stronger than ghost strength, sometimes.) Unlike his dads though, it only lasted a second before she was looking at him again. “When did you grow up? I feel like I missed it.” 

“Me too.” Danny admitted, as he doesn’t remember getting more mature. Then again, hindsight’s 20-20, so slow changes are bound to be missed in the present, even if noticeable later.

“When you do move out or onward, promise to visit often, okay? I know we weren’t always there, and you have no idea how badly I regret that, but we do love you. We want to see you grow, and move forwards, so stay in touch, okay?” His mom asks as his father joins the hug.

“I will.” Danny says, eyes soft. “Besides, it’s not like I’m moving out right away! I’ve still got to finish this last year of school, and I haven’t even set up my lair yet. It’s going to be a while before I go anywhere, and I’m more likely to move in with Sam or Tucker then into my lair, so I won’t even be going too far. Consider it that 9-5 job, just with a farther commute.” You could hear the grin in his joke, even if she wasn’t staring right at it.

She just smiled and hugged him one last time, before jack resumed cooking and she her project, Danny setting across from her and asking questions about it for a change. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed that during his secrets phase, when he’d been avoiding their tech for obvious reasons. She loved having it back now though, and would cherish this time with her not so baby boy.

______

Sam and Tucker had taken the news in stride, as they always did. Tucker had been making Lion King jokes all day while Sam had been trying to redesign his outfit, insisting that the black and white jumpsuit had always been cool, but it didn’t really fit his new cape and crown all that well. What she was designing looked more like an actual black and white suit, tight fitting, with blue trim and some white and blue ice patterns. He really didn’t mind, as he didn’t have much of a set style, but the change was still a bit unsettling. 

...Doesn’t that describe the whole situation?

Still, he was glad to have them, bad puns, fashion force, and all. It was nice to know that even in the human realm, he wasn’t alone.

_____

Monday morning was...not as bad as expected, actually. 

He had decided after some debate to keep the crown on. It was both a symbol of his power and territory to other ghosts as well as a boost in strength, and as the new king he did have others who wanted to compete for the throne. Not many, obviously, but once in a while there was some little upstart who’d never seen the guy he defeated for this and assumed his stature was a sign of his power. They quickly learned that it wasn’t. For extra safety and proof though, he did keep it on, though not the ring. He didn’t need to know they were coming from the other side of the planet to survive, and he liked his thoughts unimpeded from the overstimulation. So that stayed on its chain.

Still, when he walked into school with what was essentially a small, thin, blue tiara he was expecting some harassment, questions, anything. All he got were some weird stares. No one even dared approach. Except Dash, who walked by him with a quick, “Hi, dude! Good to see ya!” And a forceful slap on the back. He didn’t even comment on it though. He wasn’t sure if the school was just used to his weirdness now or thought it best not to comment on it for their own safety and sanity. He appreciated it though, as the crown was going no where, so he needed them to adjust.

And they probably would have. If the Ghost Extermination Act hadn’t been passed that Friday.


	3. The Mayhem Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny responds to the governments new ghost extermination policies.
> 
> (And I admittedly wrote this as a setup excuse for crossovers. If you have any shows with dead characters with unfinished business, be my guest and recommend.)

So of course, less then a month after Danny takes the throne, the U.S. government decides the visible presence of ghosts in their country is a hazard, and state that though they won’t go after the worlds hero, the average dangerous ghosts need to be exported or deleted for the livings protection. And Danny had to make a decision fast, for the sake of his people. 

So he did.

During the press conference the President was holding in regards to the new act, Danny arrived incognito, dressed to the nines in his new attire, freshly finished by Sam. Around the point the president decided to inform the populace of his new solutions for ghost extraction, Danny had had enough.

“Enough!” He’d shouted, floated up, and let the invisibility fade. “Absolutely not! Are you insane? You're describing a mass murdering spree and saying it as if it’s a small problem? Twisting truth doesn’t even being to describe the problem with this. You mentioned regular ghost attack’s? Have you noticed there haven’t been more then one or two in months? That’s less then the rate of high school shootings! Trust me, I know, my hometown had one of those two months ago. My hometown. You know, Amity Park, ghost central? One ghost attack in four months. Four. Farther back then our last high school shooting. We’ve been working overtime making allies and cooling the jets of the crazies who won’t listen. We’ve been fulfilling obsessions peacefully and working on outlets that don’t require much human disturbance. And right as everything is calming down from two years of hell, NOW you get up and complain we are too dangerous? Now that the works been done for you?”

“We aren’t after you, Mr. Phantom. I expressly stated you weren’t a public nescience. Some are though and while I admit that the legislature took a while to process this, it is still in response to a very violent past from the ghosts. As such, while we appreciate the effort you put in, it will no longer be required. Any ghost besides you seen in the human side of the U.S. will be handled by its government, so your services are no longer required.” The president had glanced at his cards while saying this.

“Do- do you have a cue card for this? Did you honestly plan for me to disrupt and decide to counter argue in advance? I’m not sure if you all are clever or crazy. Eh, I guess since you’re in politics, maybe both. Well, I’m not one to judge on that anymore. So here’s something you couldn’t have planned for in your cards. As of two weeks ago the government of the ghost zone has changed. A new king was placed in charge and has been fighting tooth and nail to get everything back to some semblance of sanity and peace. Guess who?” He not so subtly aimed both pointer fingers at his crown. Sure enough, the president and audience was speechless. “And I hate to burst your bubble, but just because we are figuring peace out doesn’t mean we are going away. Some of our obsessions require us to be here, mine included. I’m obsessed with protecting people, all people. Some of us have jobs here we like, people here we love, families we want to defend. We aren’t leaving just because you suddenly decided to start exterminating us. We will not be throwing any first punches, but I finally have my own police force organized, and if any of my followers have to call for help because they’ve been hunted down in their civilian life, I will send in a defense squad. Consider what you are doing as an act of war against the ghost zone, and rethink it quickly. We are sorry for past damages, we had a bad king and terrible policies and minimal enforcement. We will gladly assist in replacing or repairing anything we damaged in the past, making retribution’s how we can. But don’t try blaming a whole species for the crimes of a few. I just got this crap straight and I’m not letting you ruin it. So try again.” And with that, he vanished. 

 

_____

 

Obviously chaos followed. The people were confused, panicking, and a little worried. So ghosts had jobs? Families they lived with? Not just old regrets they were fixing, but new lives too? Er, technically speaking on the living part, but still. How had they missed them?

So against Danny’s warning and to settle the people’s unrest, the government started hunting. And found Lewis Pepper. 

Lewis Pepper was a kind man who had died in his early 20’s, leaving behind a best friend and lover. After returning from the grave for revenge on his murder and sorting out that accident, they became his two lovers. He’d put up a cloak to look like he had before death and returned to his life as if nothing had happened. And then the guys in white found him. What they found wasn’t an easy fight. Not only was Lewis proficient in supernatural combat now, so was his girlfriend, who had put up a blue energy field the moment the agents had approached. No one had gotten close to them yet most of the enemies had been disarmed, and that was before Arthur had managed to call the ghost king for backup. A very angry Phantom had floated down less then five minutes later with a small battalion of ghosts and well armed humans. 

“Seriously, what did I JUST say?” He groans as he levitated all the opposing weapons away on his own. “Okay, new rule. You can’t adjust to a few secretive ghosts living among you? Fine, time for some culture shock then.” And for the first time since his first week on the job, he put the ring back on. And the sky was alight with green. His voice went to loud speaker mode worldwide. “Two weeks. For two weeks, I’m taking the barrier down entirely. No portals needed. Your sky is an access point to the ghost zone for two entire weeks and vice versa. Maybe seeing your own dead relatives for a bit will make you a LITTLE more comfortable with this old mess. Have fun!” And he vanished, leaving behind both his soldiers and the enemies, who promptly fled. 

“So, we can go home for a bit?” Ember asked uncertainly. 

“He implied we should visit our living relatives. I obviously have none left, so do you wish to visit yours?” Skulker asked, glancing her way. She’d only died 30 years ago so surely she had someone left she missed. It’d always been a sore spot before, but the king had just basically stated they should go home, so...

Ember seemed uncertain, but eventually her shoulders dropped and she mentioned, “I’m not too keen on seeing my parents after all this time, but I do kind of miss my brother. I’ve been keeping up with him online, though I obviously never talked to him. He lives in Indiana now. You wanna come with?”

“Whatever pleases your heart, dearest.” He sends back. This is her pain, her choice, her spotlight. He can steal his another day.

She squares her shoulders. “Let’s go home.”

And they leave.

Many other ghosts follow their example, though the Amity Park ghosts have no need. When they returned originally, well, most of their relatives figured out who they were pretty fast. Lunch Lady was never a subtle grandma, and her grandkids welcomed her home early on when she stopped reeking havoc. 

Like Skulker and the Box Ghost, some just had no living family left, so they went about their days. Others though, well...


	4. Dear Little Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s time for Ember to go home.

Back home Danny Fenton had basically been outed. He shows up less then a week before Phantom is announced to the world as the new ghost king with a tiara on? Blue ice to match the new motif even. His family of ghost fanatics and adamant ex-hunters? Not to mention the ridiculous play on names, because really, how had they missed that one? The whole town had suspected the ghost kid was only a half one but this pretty much confirmed who, and though only amongst the town, gossip spread fast.

——-

Richard “Ricky” McLain was a busy soul. A business man at heart, he’d moved to Indianapolis for college and settled as an accountant there, building his own tax firm later in life. He’d had few regrets doing so, never having been close to his heavily religious parents and being able to keep in contact with his few close friends from back home through social media. He’d met his loving wife here and had four gorgeous children, lucky him, all girls. His eldest he named Amber, after his dear departed sister. 

His older sister didn’t take the social repression from their parents nor the betrayal of her first lover well, and took it upon herself to find an early exit. He always wished he could have helped, could have apologized for not intervening when she needed him, but he wasn’t one to regret a past he couldn’t change, so he moved on.

Until the Phantom Sky incident began, and he realized he might have a second chance here. She might be hanging around, he could say goodbye finally. ...Or not, maybe. King Phantom had said the ghosts had jobs and families in the world of the living now, so maybe he could just...get her back, spend some real time with his sister again. He missed her music so much.

So he started searching the ghost sightings for someone who resembled his sister, but the only person who seemed to fit was a slightly violent ghost singer. She hadn’t been a malicious person in life, so he doubted it at first, until he searched specifically for the fiery blue ghost singer and heard her songs...and her name. Ember McLain. It was her.

He had less then 30 minutes to process this before a knock sounded on the door. Janet had answered for him but jumped back immediately after, pulling her work gun from her belt. As a cop her first instinct to a possibly dangerous ghost on her doorstep was to draw and wait, protect those she loved. The ghost seemed to get it though, as she made no further move, and started talking. “Sorry for the scare, I was just wondering if Ricky was here?”

To which the safety came off. But Ricky was there and had heard, and as such came running to the sound of his sisters voice. “Amber!” 

“Ricky!” She responded, arms open wide as her 40 something year old brother dived into her arms like he was 10 again. Hearing that voice, he might as well be.

“Amber? Really?” Janet asked, lowering the gun a bit but not returning the safety just yet.

“Yeah, sorry I’m late. Took me a couple days to find the place. Considering the king gave the go ahead, I thought I’d visit.”

Years seemed to fly off him as he squeezed her. She was solid. Hotter then a human too, not the chill of death he expected. Everything he’d ever thought a ghost might be like flew out the window with his sister here. She was actually here, and whole, and it was okay.

Realizing he was crying, he finally pulled back and whipped his eyes. He noticed blue leaking from hers as well, just realizing she was squeezing him too. 

“Come in, come in! You have to meet the kids! Kids, get down here!” Homework could wait, they needed to meet their aunt.

“What’s all the- ahhh!” Amber had been the first down, violin from band practice still in hand, but promptly screamed and backed away, her orange hair seeming to stand on end in fear.

“Cool!” Shouted his second oldest (at 8), Esma, as she dashed down to join the hug. “Ghost family! Yay! Can you walk through walls?” 

“Yes.” His sister chuckled, giving her a warm smile, “and a lot more then that.”

“Can I be a ghost too when I die?” She gasped out in excitement, “just like you and Phantom, Auntie?” 

“Maybe dear, but don’t rush it. Life has its perks. Like solid flesh, for one.” She said with a chuckle as she intentionally went liquidy on them and slipped back a step.

“Hey! That seemed like another cool thing, not a downside!” She said with a pout, arms crossed.

“Well here’s a downside, how long has it been since I got to come home?” 

“That’s not a downside anymore! Phantom said, ghosts can live here now!”

“Can we all stop talking about dying? You don’t have to die to be cool.” Said his third child, Roxanne, as she finally butted in. “And not all of us have a morbid fascination with death, I for one like you alive.”

“As do I.” Responded her father, picking her up. “But it is great to have you home sis.” He glanced up. The youngest, Ruby, had waddled out of the living room. At two, she didn’t even seem to know what was going on. She walked towards her glowing aunt happily with a giggle. “Shiny!” To which Amber-his sister- just smiled. “Do you want some tea? Food? Wait, can you eat?” Was that rude?

“Yes, and sure. It’d suck if we couldn’t. We don’t need to though, we can only get energy through ectoplasm anyway... which is why we all have to go back to the ghost zone at least once in a while, unless we have a way to get it here like the King does. We dissipate back painfully or vanish all together otherwise. It’s...risky.” She glanced up at Amber. “Kid, I don’t bite. I’m your aunt, didn’t you watch the news?” At this everyone finally realized Janet hadn’t put the gun away.

“Hun, it’s fine. She seems just like I remember her, if a little nicer.” He said with a small smirk.

“And you seem smarter, so we’ve both improved.” She grinned, “Took you long enough. Smart wife too though. Dangerous monster around her family, she kept the weapon out. Even if it’s useless on me, it’s good instinct.” That’s what finally made Janet lower the gun, with a small growl though, and mutter out she’d start the tea. The kids followed to help, Esma being reluctantly dragged, so as to give them a moment. He smiled at her warmly for a minute before grabbing her hand again, appreciating its solid presence. 

“Let’s go talk.” He said as he tugged her towards the kitchen. She resisted though, surprising him. For the first time, she looked a little hesitant.

“Can I bring a guest? I may have brought my boyfriend along.” He blinked in surprise. He’d forgotten. This may look like his sister in her teens, but it’s been decades. The trauma of that breakup, of the dick who date raped her and dumped her was long past, if not forgotten(as he’d noticed in her songs). She’d moved on. He had too, he just hadn’t thought of his ghost sister doing so. It must be one heck of a man to get her to try again. 

“Of course.” He said with a soft smile. Then a thought occurred to him, and he laughed. “Do I look that much like dad that you felt the need to ask permission?”

She grinned sheepishly. “Maybe a little.” Then she turned her head, talking behind her. “Come on, visible. They don’t bite.”

He bit back a scream upon the man appearing. He was huge! “Pleasure to meet you.” He spoke immediately. “I am your sisters long term significant other. I go by Skulker.” He put his hand out for a shake.

“Ricky.” Was the response as he shook it, flinching a little from the tight grip. 

“I appreciate the hospitality. Few respond kindly to my presence. I am a tad...intimidating.” He said with an eerie grin, showing he had no regrets on that.

“The person my sister loves, and who loves her back PROPERLY, “he emphasizes that point with a stern look, “is always welcome in my home. If my dear wife tries to shoot you though, try not to take it personally.”

“Duly noted.” He responds calmly as they go into the kitchen.

Ka-chink. He signed in resignation in his head as his wife dropped the safety again. Glancing at his sister though, the impending family drama from fear and distrust was worth it. At least they were whole again.


End file.
